Combination lamp pedestal and dancing doll



Oct. 24, l950` R. MacDoNALD COMBNATION LAM? PEDESTAL AND DANCING DOLLF119@ `April 8, 1949 INVENTOR. WILLIAM RZMAL' 7A L17 BY CM? AT TURN@ y*Patented Oct. 24, 1950 UNITED STATES P COll/IBINATION LAMP PEDESTAL ANDANCING DLL Y William R. MacDonald, (lakland, Calif.

Application April s, i949, serial No. 86,189

3 Claims. (Cl.l fili-1.16)

This invention relates to novelties and more particularly to an improvedcombination lamp pedestal and dancing doll. The invention also relatesto a novel method of imparting animation to reproduced creatures and hasfor the primary object the provision of a lamp pedestal in the form of adancing doll having a novel skirt thereon and to provide an electriclamp on the pedestal for illuminating the skirt and a mechanical meansfor imparting movements to the skirt, whereby illuminated dancingmovements, such as the Hawaiian hula dance are simulated.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a flexiblebelt, constructed of leather or the like, and to position the said beltloosely around the hip portion of the doll and to secure the upperportion of the skirt to the belt and to further provide a mechanicalmeans for oscillating or otherwise vibrating the same, whereby movementssimulating the hula dance or the like are imparted to the skirt.

A further object of the present invention is to horizontally position arevolvable shaft through the hip portion of the doll and to formoppositely disposed cranks on the ends of the said shaft, which cranksare connected to the said belt, means being provided for revolving theshaft for imparting vibrating movements to the belt.

A still further object of the present invention is to revolve thehorizontally positioned shaft by .1

an electric motor positioned in the .base of the pedestal and to providea vertical shaft and eX- tend the same from the motor to the horizontalshaft, suitable bevel gears being provided for connecting the shafts oneto the other.

A still further object of the present invention is to preferablyhorizontally divide the doll at the hip portion thereof, means beingprovided for removably securing the two sections one to the other.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of acombination lamp pedestal and dancing doll of the character describedthat is durable, simple in construction, positive in operation,economical to manufacture and highly efficient and serviceable in use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification,wherein for the purpose of illustration like numerals designate likeparts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the upper portion of thecombination doll and lamp pedestal, the central and lower portion beingshown in section to illustrate the mechanism for vibrating the skirt,

Fig. 2 is a side view of the combination doll and lamp pedestal shownpartly in elevation and partly in section.

Referring in detail to the drawings and the numerals thereof, thenumeral I0 designates the upper section of the pedestal, the numeral I Ithe lower section thereof and the numeral I2 the base supporting thesame. The said base is re cessed, forming a cavity therein, as at I3,the said cavity being closed by a suitable cover I4 removably secured tothe bottom of the base by a plurality of screws I5 as disclosed toadvantage in Figs. 1 and 2. The upper section I0 of the device simulatesthe upper portion of a doll and is formed with a pair of spaced prongsI6, which prongs tightly nt in a pair of spaced apertures Il formed inthe lower section I I, whereby the two sections are rigidly secured oneto the other. A recess -IS is formed around the periphery of the lowersection, adjacent the bottom thereof and a central cavity lil is formedin the said bottom as disclosed to advantage in Fig. 1. An elongatedvertical passageway 2! extends through the lower section ll from thecavity I3 in the base I2 to the cavity la in the upper section I0, theupper extremity of the said passageway being enlarged as at 2 l, forminga cavity in communication with the said cavity I9, whereby space isprovided for accommodating driving gears which will hereinafter bedescribed.

As hereinbefore stated one of the objects of the present invention isthe provision of a dancing doll, which doll will form a lamp pedestal.The numeral 22 designates a skirt member simulating a hula skirt worn byHawaiian dancers and is made of any suitable fabric or other flexiblematerial that will serve the purpose intended. The numeral 23 designatesa belt band made of leather, plastic or any other substantial flexiblematerial and is sewed or otherwise secured to the upper portion of theskirt and is loosely positioned around the hip portion of the doll,whereby the skirt depends therefrom. The means provided for verticallyoscillating the belt band and skirt is shown as comprising a crankshaft24 revolvably positioned through the hip portion of the doll and formedwith oppositely disposed members or crank end portions 25 and 26, whichend portions are pivoted in the belt band as disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2.The crank ends 25 and 26 serve as eccentrics or cams to impart rotarymotion to portions of said belt band. A suitable bevel gear 2'I is fixedon the said crank shaft and engages a bevel pinion 28 xed on theextremity of the vertical shaft 29, which vertical shaft extends fromthe motor Sil positioned in the hollow base I2 and secured tothe coverI4 by suitable screws 3| as disclosed to advantage in Fig. 1. Thenumeral 32 designates the housing enclosing a conventional gearreduction mechanism for reducing the speed of the vertical drive shaft29. An insulated electric conducting means 46 leads from the motor 30 toa threeway switch 32. A conventional electric cord 33, carrying twoconductors leads to and through the passageway 20, through cavities I9and 2l and through passageway 34 in the upper section l0 to the lampsocket 35 for conveying electrical energy to the electric lamp 36. Anelectric cord 31, having a standard plug 38 leads from the said switch32. The said lamp and motor can be operated separately from each otheror in unison one with the other if desired.

From the foregoing description taken in conjunction wth the accompanyingdrawing it will be obvious that when the motor 3U is operated revolvablemovement will be imparted to the vertical drive shaft 24, which driveshaft is connected to the crankshaft 29 through the bevel gears 2l and2), causing the said crankshaft to revolve and thus impart a rotary,oscillating or swaying movement to the belt band 23 and skirt 22 therebycausing the skirt to perform movements simulating the hip movementswhile executing the Hawaiian dance known as the hula dance. The upperpart of the skirt and belt in executing the rotary oscillating movementfollows the contour of the hip portion of the doll thus creating theillusion as if the hips of the doll would move and carry the skirt alongin such movements. The numeral 39 designates a suitable artistic lampshade positioned over the electric lamp 36. It will be particularlynoted that rays of light from the lamp will be reflected against theskirt 22 and as the said skirt can include in its construction materialswhich will cast reflections an unusually artistic and attractive dancingdoll is produced when the device is operated for causing the skirt toperform movements simulating the Hawaiian dance.

The invention is disclosed in connection with a doll clothed with askirt by way of explanation and not by way of limitation. 1t may beemployed in connection with any reproduction of a living or imaginarycreature provided with a covering.

1t is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes relative to the shape, size, material and arrangement ofparts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the character described, comprising in combination apedestal in the form of a. doll body, having an enlarged base with arecess therein, an electric motor in said recess, a vertical passagewaywithin the doll body being enlarged at its upper end, a vertical shaftextending from the motor through the vertical passageway, a pinion onthe end of the vertical shaft and lying within the enlarged upper end ofthe vertical passageway, a flexible band loosely surrounding the hipportion of the body, a skirt member secured to said band, a horizontallydisposed shaft mounted in said body and having its respective endsextending outwardly past opposite sides of the body, a gear mounted faston said shaft and meshing with the pinion on the vertical shaft, thehorizontal shaft having crank arms at its respective ends which areoilset with respect to each other and spaced 180 apart, said crank armsbeing pivotally connected to the flexible band whereby to impartoscillatory movement to the band and the skirt simultaneously inopposite directions at each hip portion when the motor rotates thevertical shaft.

2. A device of the character described comprising in combination, apedestal in the form of a doll body, having an enlarged base, with arecess therein, said doll body having a vertical passageway extendingupwardly through the body and communicating with the recess, an enlargedrecess formed at the midportion of the doll body, an electric motorwithin the base, a, vertical shaft driven by said motor and extendingthrough the passageway, a pinion mounted on the upper end of the shaftand lying within the recess at the mid-portion of the body, a flexibleband loosely surrounding the hip portion of the body, a depending skirtmember secured to said band, a horizontally disposed shaft extendingthrough the mid-portion of the body, the ends of the shaft having cranksformed thereon and being offset with respect to each other and spacedapart, said crank portions lying outside of the body and being pivotallyconnected to the opposite sides of the band, a gear mounted on thehorizontal shaft and lying within the recess at the mid-portion of thebody and meshing with the pinion of the vertical shaft, the band and theskirt having oscillatory movement imparted thereto simultaneously inopposite directions when the motor drives the vertical shaft and pinion.

3. A device of the character described comprising in combination, apedestal in the form of a doll body, and having an enlarged base, a baseplate tting said base, an electric motor mounted on said base plate, avertical passageway within the doll body, a vertical shaft extendingfrom the motor through the passage, a pinion mounted on the upper end ofsaid shaft, the vertical passage being of suicent cross sectional areato allow the shaft and its pinion to pass therethrough, a band looselysurrounding the hip portion of the body, a depending skirt secured tosaid band, a horizontally disposed shaft extending through the hipportion of the body, the opposite ends of the shaft extending outwardlypast the sides of the body and having offset crank portions 180 apart,said band being pivotally attached to the said crank portions, a gearmounted on the shaft and meshing with the pinion of the vertical shaft,the sides of the body having recesses to accommodate the crank portionsof the horizontal shaft, the band and skirt having oscillatory movementimparted thereto simultaneously in opposite directions when the motordrives the Vertical shaft and pinion.

WILLIAM R. MACDONALD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the @le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

